anybody have experience with popular reps with a quartz movement, rather than an automatic movement?

[tyrantblade]

i know an automatic movement, especially a high beat would be better if you want a rep that is pretty much perfect, since most expensive gens have some kind of ETA/Automatic movement, but ive got one rep with a high beat movement (ETA clone), it cost me too much for the time its been working, and its just been sitting in a drawer for months.

so, im thinking if there are any great quartz alternatives, hopefully close detail wise to the real thing, like most reps are, even if the casing quality kinda suffers, that this is what my next rep would be, because i dont wanna keep spending $200+ per rep, to just have some issue show up with the movement, and it just stay in a drawer.

[Jkay]

A reasonably priced watch repair person could probably fix your clone for around 80 USD.

[tyrantblade]

A reasonably priced watch repair person could probably fix your clone for around 80 USD.

if every high beat automatic i get would end up needing some $80 repair, that would be about $300 per rep (since after shipping, most/all ETA clone movement watches are $220 or up), and i just dont got that kind of money.

i would rather get a quartz movement alternative (if theres one available) and deal with whatever small issues there would be, rather than spend $300+ per rep

[Jkay]

Stay away from quartz chronos since the subdial spacing is always terrible.

Btw: knowing that all mechanical watches need a 100-250 dollar service every three to five years, why collect watches at all?

[tyrantblade]

Stay away from quartz chronos since the subdial spacing is always terrible.

Btw: knowing that all mechanical watches need a 100-250 dollar service every three to five years, why collect watches at all?

well, i did not know that, yet another reason to not bother with an expensive high beat automatic rep.

[genoint]

You might be better off going after some quartz gens, you can find some nice Victorinox and TW Steel make some very nice affordable quartz watches. The quality you will get will be much better than any quartz rep you are going to find. If you really want a quartz rep I think watcheden has a large selection.

[Jkay]

Yes Watch Eden specializes in quartz!

[tode1640]

I have yet to see a quartz rep with a second hand that sweeps smoothly - they mostly "tick" in one second increments. It is possible to build quartz movements that sweep, and there are some very nice quartz gens that do. However, the cheap quartz movements that are used in reps almost always tick (if anyone knows of exceptions, then please post them here). I really hate ticking second hands on reps. Not only is it an instant tell that is obvious from across the room, but worse, it seems just plain ugly to me.

[rrari1]

You could get a rep of a gen that has a quartz movement. Many of the lower end Cartiers and Breitlings have quartz movements.

If you get a quartz rep of one of those, it will be fairly accurate.

[tode1640]

You could get a rep of a gen that has a quartz movement. Many of the lower end Cartiers and Breitlings have quartz movements.

If you get a quartz rep of one of those, it will be fairly accurate.

Accurate, but ugly! I really don't like "ticking" second hands - be the gens or reps.

[KMAC]

You want quartz but no ticking second hand? Really?

Get a cheap 21j and buy a few extra movements to swap out when it dies. Sweep and cheap.

That said the eta is a work horse and the service isn't that big of a deal.

[gasebah]

Stay away from quartz chronos since the subdial spacing is always terrible.

Btw: knowing that all mechanical watches need a 100-250 dollar service every three to five years, why collect watches at all?

Just on a sidenote: I never had any of my automatic watches serviced and some of them are ticking for 10 years without a hitch. I just wait for them to break down and so far that very rarely happened.Given how cheap those asian movements are it is cheaper and less hassle to let them break and simply repalce them

[icoopernicus]

Option 1 (*best option*) Purchase a high quality rep with a movement that replicates the gen (28800bph for 28800bph) when it breaks down/requires servicing get it serviced. This is the only option you have if you don't want a dead giveaway, 21600bph movement in place of a 28800bph movement is a pretty good giveaway.

Option 2 Purchase a cheaper $100ish rep with a 21j 21600bph movement. this will give you a sweeping second hand that on closer inspection will be obvious as to its beat rate but from a distance will at least not appear to tick.

Option 3 (*Don't do it*) Purchase a quartz rep that will have glaring flaws in the case, bracelet, dial, caseback etc. On top of all of that you will be left staring at the ticking second hand. Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock!

Option 4 Don't get a rep! Dive watch? - Invicta full stop. The sweeping quartz movement you are looking for does not exist in the rep world, get a Bulova Precisionist from amazon, the second hand actually sweeps, unlike a mechanical movement, some can be had in the low $200 range.

Ultimately it's your call but these are your options, the first two are the only ones that will give you what you're looking for.

[TeeJay]

Another option I took, was to buy a plastic Submariner clone (Softech) and then swapped the dial for a no-date Submariner dial (which I had previously experimented on with in and varnish) and the result is actually the favorite piece in my collection I don't wear it often, mostly only if I'm tattooing, or if I really want to 'dress down', but it always makes me smile, as it reminds me not to take life to seriously